Tokyo Mew Mew: Reborn
by TheTravelWriter
Summary: Everything you know is a lie. There are no magical girls, no secret crushes, no sparkly pink cafes. And there are no heroes. If you are reading this, then the chances are I am already dead. Please, if you are indeed reading this, spread the word. Don't let the project continue. Stop this from happening to anyone else. That is all I ask of you. May include swearing and dark imagery.
1. Prologue

This is my first attempt at a Tokyo Mew Mew series. I thought I would try and darken things up a bit, and show the 'real' Tokyo Mew Mews. Hopefully you won't eat my limbs because of this (please don't, they taste horrible). Anyway, read and review.

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PROLOGUE

_If you are reading this, the chances are that I am no longer alive. It took me a while to decide to write this, but with the recent popularity of the series 'Tokyo Mew Mew', I concluded that I would tell you the truth about your supposed heroes._

Ichigo silently made her way through the busy streets of Tokyo city, her hood covering her face, and a colourful pink manga book in her battered satchel. She despised the shoujo genre, especially those involving magical girls, but the content of the graphic novel was enough to keep her interested. It was called Tokyo Mew Mew, and Ichigo was on the front cover.

_Everything you know is a lie. There are no magical girls, no special transformations, no pretty pink cafes, no secret crushes with secret powers. _

Ichigo pushed open the old wooden door, the bell ringing above her. As usual, there were no customers inside, and Mei-Ling and Hime were casually sitting in the corner of the tiny café, Hime drinking some tea while reading a book, and Mei-Ling whistling some tune Ichigo did not recognize. Ichigo plopped her satchel on the table and removed her hood.

"Have a nice walk?" Hime questioned upon seeing the red head, who had set her face in her typical neutral expression, completely unlike the one on the cover of the manga in her satchel.

"I found something weird." Ichigo opened her satchel and tossed the book over to Mei-Ling who caught it. She half-choked, half-laughed at the front cover. "This is why we never dress up on duty." Mei-Ling lifted her hands in an innocent manner. The whole 'magical girl' idea was hers, intended to be both comical and a means of distracting people from their real appearance.

"You influenced it with that little chant of yours. That was the first time I've seen you act like an actual idiot." Hime replied, putting the tea down and searching through the book. "Well, at least they got the aliens right."

"They don't usually dress like that, though." Mei-Ling mentioned upon seeing the rather exposing clothing. "It was a hot day."

"It's always a hot day to them." Ichigo replied, completely removing the dark hood and making her way to the staff room to put on her uniform.

_And most of all, there are no heroes._

"Why'd they name us after food?" Mei-Ling questioned, seeing that her name had been changed to 'Pudding', which was both in her sense of humour, and not. "They called Midori Lettuce. Ouch."

"Maybe it was because Ichigo is a name of a food." Hime half-whispered.

"Ichigo is a perfectly normal name!" Ichigo shouted through the café as she put on her apron. The uniform was nothing compared to the one in the series, being a basic apron over what could only be described as a typical waitress uniform. The café itself lacked the pink cheer of the Café Mew Mew, settling with dark wood and deep reds suited more for adults than teenagers. Personally, Ichigo preferred it that way; she would never be able to stand all those noisy guests and bright colours.

_First of all, I will tell you what the series got right. The world _is_ under threat. We a_re_ under risk, and there a_re_ aliens out there that want us dead. In some way, you can call us heroes, but really we are not. We do fight supposed chimeras, and we do battle these aliens. You got that much right. Now for what is wrong._

"Quiche, Tart, and Pie. You know, this person really must have been hungry when they wrote this." Mei-Ling stated, reading one of the battles. "I didn't know you had a crush, Ichigo."

"I don't." Ichigo did not even look at Mei-Ling, instead grabbing the mop from the closet and looking for a bucket.

_The name of our project is Project: Battle Royale. We were chosen at random to take part in a genetic modification in order to protect the planet from these future threats. Of course, none of us knew we were chosen. We were taken suddenly from our homes, and our existence erased from the memories of those closest to us. When the experiment was over, we were 'adopted' by members of the Battle Royale Project and closely watched to ensure we would not escape. Not that we could even if the cameras were taken away. With almost no choice, we were made to battle for a population we have no interest in protecting. Our deaths mean nothing, because we can be replaced. We are just some among many, and eventually we will be replaced. That's just how it works._

A young blonde boy entered the café, a blank look on his face and a satchel full of papers at his side. Everyone knew this boy. He was the messenger of the Battle Royale Project, and the one to often lead the girls to their fate. Even Mei-Ling's expression turned serious upon seeing this small boy.

"What is it, Elliot?" Hime questioned carefully. He was to be taken seriously as he took note of every action made by the girls and reported it back to base. Any signs of rudeness or slacking off would be reported immediately.

"They're back." He stated calmly, his voice like ice.

"Never knew they left." Ichigo replied, half-joking. She was not one to care for base. She could care less whether she was seen as a slacker, and after the previous incident, it was made clear that she did not care about publicity or seriousness either; and this was something the project managers were not happy with.

"They're at Tokyo Tower. Something is… festering at the top." He stated, ignoring Ichigo. "I'm sure you know what to do." Ichigo sighed and took off her apron. It was hardly worth the effort of putting it on in the first place.

"Do you want us to call the others?" Hime questioned, rising from her seat. Her 'posh' accent had been dropped as usual when she was serious.

"This seems to be something dangerous. Something new. It would be best to call the others." The boy stated with a slight nod. As everyone prepared for another battle, the boy directed his attention to Ichigo. "This is going to catch public eye. May as well wear those… costumes of yours." Ichigo cringed at this. She still held a grudge against Mei-Ling for that. The boy couldn't help but smirk. "You look good in pink."

"Oh hardly." Ichigo grumbled, joining the others.

_But… while we continue to exist, we will defend this earth. If not for the human population, then for ourselves. I am already near the end of my existence, but please, if you are still reading this, my real name is Momoko Nakajima. I am 16 years old, and the only child of Mori Nakajima and Hiroshi Nakajima. I went to Aoyama Middle School when I was still with my family, and I now go to Ashima High School. I did exist. I was a real person beyond being a Mew, and I did have a family. I have documented the true lives of the 'Tokyo Mew Mews' from start to finish in hopes of showing you the cruelty of the Battle Royale Project, and showing reality of the 'defense of Earth' situation. Please, when you have the chances, spread the word. Let people know the truth, and please don't let the project continue. Shut it down. Don't let any more girls get hurt. If not for the world, then for me. That's all I ask of you._

_Ichigo Momomiya signing off._

_JULY 21__ST__ 2025_

_18:00_

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Yes, thank you for reading the prologue. I'm going to be starting off from the very beginning, starting off in Ichigo's old school before things got messy. On my old theotaku account, I have a series of little doodles, pages, etc. to do with this. I have a link there, so please check it out.


	2. Chapter 1

In case the last chapter did not make it clear, this is an AU in which the 'real' Tokyo Mew Mews exist, and after they are shown on public TV they become a fad for the population, even getting their own manga series which is the manga we all know and love. WARNING: This chapter contains graphic violence and swearing which some readers may find uncomfortable. Do not read if you are sensitive to such things.

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CHAPTER ONE

_I suppose you can say it started off like any other day. There seemed to be nothing particularly out of the ordinary. It was to be expected that there would be news on war on the TV, considering the issues on the East, but it was nothing out of the ordinary. Overall, it seemed like a pretty average day for me._

"Momoko? What are you playing?" Momoko's friend, Sakura, questioned, leaning forward to stare at the 3DS. Momoko took a moment to glance up at her before focussing on the game.

"The new Final Fantasy." She replied bluntly. Sakura let out a sigh.

"Are they ever going to give up on that?" She plopped down in a seat, placing her elbow on Momoko's desk and watching her play. Momoko was rather skilled in games, and had she bothered to put her mind to it she probably could have entered the gaming tournaments.

"Not in this century." Momoko answered, cursing slightly when she lost her concentration, leading to her character's death. She shut off the 3DS and focussed her full attention on Sakura. "Was there something you needed?" Momoko had dark, intense eyes that, when focussed directly on something, could unsettle greatly. She did notice how her eyes unsettled people unless they mentioned it to her.

"O-oh right! The head teacher wanted to see you about something." Momoko shoved her 3DS in her battered rucksack, not trusting people not to steal it when she was away. She lifted herself off the school chair and brushed her skirt down.

"Bet he's pissed off because I brought a game to school." Sakura smiled almost sheepishly. The head teacher did appear slightly irritable today, although whether it was because of Momoko or someone else, Sakura did not know.

"Check and find out."

Momoko stopped just outside classroom 1-B; something was glittering outside. Staring more intently at the camera, Momoko saw that a camera had been placed in the tree, and it was staring at her.

'That wasn't there before.' She made a face at the camera.

"Miss Nakajima, what are you doing out there?" Momoko apologized to the classroom teacher who had just left her classroom.

"Sorry, why's there a camera in the tree?" The teacher looked at the camera, then back at her.

"It's part of the new security system. They've been boosting security everywhere recently." Momoko did not find it weird, but it did unsettle her slightly. She didn't like being watched.

_It was that afternoon that something changed. It was sudden, and without notice. I still remember the fear I felt on that day, and I shall remember it for the rest of my life._

The teacher droned on in a monotone voice, writing notes onto the SMARTboard in the black pen; he even lacked the creativity to use green or red. Momoko stared out the window, a default bored expression on her face. The skies were grey, and it appeared as though it would rain soon. It rained quite a lot recently. Strange considering it was summer and rain was most common in autumn.

"Miss Nakajima, are you listening?" Momoko turned her attention away from the window, and nodded. "Then please repeat the next sentence in English." Momoko rose from her seat, the book in her hands.

"The tragedy of war is that it uses man's best to do man's worst." A rather dark quote. The teacher nodded for Momoko to sit down, and she did so. The moment the teacher looked away, Momoko took to staring out the window once more. The teacher was so deep in conversation with himself that he wouldn't notice until he wanted her to speak again. Outside the window, Momoko noticed something unusual at the school gate. Something… not human.

_It started off with a strange creature that I had never seen in my life. It was see through, but it had a blue tinge to it, like coloured plastic you would use to wrap sandwiches. I could see its insides, and I could see it moving. Moving towards me._

Momoko heard a high-pitched screech as the creature leapt off the school gate and crashed through the school window. Momoko was flung back. She hit the ground with a THUD as the creature got its bearing and viciously charged at the frantic students. It tore them up with what could only be described as its teeth. Momoko was scared to move. Even if she wanted to move, she was lying on broken glass. She was already bleeding everywhere.

Sakura grabbed a chair and hit the creature with it. The chair melted into the creatures back. Sakura squeaked and jumped back. The creature glared at her with blood red eyes and reached a hand out to her. Momoko forced herself up, lunging at Sakura and shoving her out of the way. The claws dug into Momoko's stomach. She let out a scream. She had experienced a lot of injuries in her life, but having claws sink into one's body was a feeling she had not experienced, and it made her want to throw up! But… but the others were in danger. The creature grabbed Sakura who was attempting to run away, and tore her in two. Momoko stared in horror, unable to move anything. The creature flung the pieces aside and charged at Momoko like a wild bull. She was slammed against the wall, the hand stabbing through her chest. Momoko resisted the urge to cough up blood. She punched the creature in the face, the only solid part of it, multiple times until it let her go. She grabbed the pen from the nearby school desk and lodged it into the creature's eye. The creature screeched, and flung her against the wall. Momoko collapsed to the ground. She tried to get up, but she could not. She had been hit too hard, and everything was spinning. She wouldn't be surprised if some of her bones were broken.

"Alright, alright! That's enough!" Momoko looked around the room. "She passed, now stop trying to kill her."A figure entered the room. A tall woman with bright red hair entered the room. "Well that was one hell of a blood bath."

"Who… who the hell are you?" Momoko demanded as the woman walked over to the creature which seemed to have become submissive. Was…was she in control of this monster?

"Hi there. They call me Scarlett." She said with a smile. The creature seemed to disappear as Scarlett removed what Momoko originally thought was its heart. "And you just passed my test."

"Y-You're test!? What the fuck are you talking about!?" Scarlett's eerie smile increased.

"You have been chosen to take part in Project: Battle Royale. This class was chosen at random, and whoever survived would take part." Whoever… survived? But surely she wasn't the only one? She looked around the classroom. It was painted a blood red. No one was moving. Scarlett got on her phone. "I found our first member: Momoko Nakajima." Scarlett answered a few questions, her eyes directed away from Momoko. "Tell them it was a school massacre." Scarlett said in a slightly irritated tone. "Or use _that._ Whatever gets the job done; I don't care." A few more questions later, Scarlett hung up and began making her way to Momoko. "Alright, time to get going." Momoko pushed away from Scarlett. Scarlett frowned at this. "Oh, I get it! You're upset because all your friends were killed." She said this in an uncaring tone, as though having your friend's killed was like having an ice cream taken away. "Don't worry; soon you're going to have new friends."

"S-Stay the hell away from me!" Momoko spluttered, shuffling away from her. It was all she could do. She had concluded that one of her leg's was broken, because it was bent at an odd angle, and all she could do was push herself away with her other leg. Scarlett let out a sigh.

"Another stubborn one." She grumbled to herself. She nodded to a person behind Momoko. Momoko turned only to have a needle stabbed into her neck. She struggled as the clear liquid injected into her blood stream. Her vision quickly blurred, and before she knew it, she was out cold.

Momoko lay in a lonely white hospital room, her body wrapped in bandages and her heart carefully monitored. The beeping of the heart monitor was the only sound throughout the entire room. She stared up at the blank ceiling, trying to remember what happened when it hit her. She shot up from the bed, only to collapse and hit the pillow again.

"Try not to move with those injuries."

"I do what I bloody well want to." Was Momoko's instinctive reaction. The voice sniggered.

"Not like that." The voice came from a young man with dark hair and dark eyes. "They call me Keiichiro Akasaka; but for now call me Wesley."

"Why?" Momoko questioned, glaring at the man.

"I'm not supposed to tell anyone my real name." Momoko wanted to question him on why this was, but he did not let her continue. "That Chimera really did some damage on you; you've been out for quite some time."

"How long?" Momoko demanded. Her parents were probably worried sick about her, and the police were probably looking for her.

"Almost a week." A week!? She was out for a week!? Kei- Wesley took a seat next to her. "If you're worried about your parents, or the police looking for you, don't be. The people killed were not your friends. They were temporary clones used for a more realistic setting." Clones? What did he mean by clones?

"Wasn't it that the only survivor was chosen to take part in the project?" Momoko asked. Did that mean she was a clone? Wesley smiled at her.

"I'm supposing that's what Scarlett told you. In answer to your question, no. Classrooms were not randomly chosen, but people. You know the worldwide school check-up?" Momoko nodded. That was last year, and seemed almost completely out of the blue, although she had, at the time, assumed it was due to the rather sudden outbreak in 'Madman Disease'. "We set up that program to find potential participants in the future. Your class had five potential participants, she we chose at random, and you happened to be picked."

"But why do you need me? What are you going to do?" Wesley smiled, although not in a threatening manner like Scarlett.

"We're basically going to test a new drug on you. It's not as dangerous as life-threatening as Scarlett likes to make it." Wesley said in a soothing tone, attempting to calm Momoko who was already looking ready to leap out the window if she found it necessary. "It's intended to target a certain gene in your DNA and multiple it. Only a certain number of people in the population have this gene, and we believe it will be quite useful in the future." Wesley explained. Momoko did not like the idea of getting injected with a drug aiming to mess her up more than she already was. "Trust me when I say that it is completely harmless, and will not cripple you in any way. In fact, you could say that it could lead to the next step in evolution in human kind." Momoko was really disliking the idea now, and she voiced it out loud.

"What if I don't want to take part?"

"You have no choice." Said another voice. Scarlett entered the room. "It's a case of you going willingly, or through brute force, and either way we have to keep you here." Momoko glared at Scarlett in an almost murderous fashion. "I'm going to cut straight to the crap; that chimera you faced was not made by us, nor was it made by anyone on this planet. And there are lots of them around. The one you faced was the only one we captured, and at the cost of a lot of good men." Momoko nodded slowly. "This little needle we're going to give you increases your speed, strength, endurance, and healing. If possible, we would have given them to the whole population to prevent them from being in danger, but as Wesley explained, only a few people have the correct genes in their DNA to allow for it to work. You happen to be one of these people."

"I get that much, but what makes you think I even want to save the world or whatever the hell it is you want me to do with these 'chimera'?" Scarlett crossed her arms and sat down.

"You don't, and personally neither do I. I thinking the world would be better off without the human race, but my opinion doesn't matter here. So, instead, I'm going to make you a deal." She crossed her legs and leaned back. "At the moment, all memory of your existence has been wiped from the memory of everyone you knew, including friends and family for their protection as well as yours." So… her parents wouldn't even miss her? Her friend's wouldn't even know she was gone? So, right now she was nobody to no one? That… was depressing. "Here's my deal: if you manage to get rid of these chimeras, and their leader along with the other participants, then you will be allowed to return to your normal life, and it will be as though none of this ever happened. Don't take the deal and you're still going to go through with the experiment, but no one will remember you and if you try to escape, you're going to be killed. Really, I'm making your life easier." Momoko dropped her head against the hospital bed.

"Can you give me a moment?" Scarlett nodded, exiting the room. Wesley followed suit.

Thinking carefully about it, she did realize that she had no choice. One way, she could refuse and still end up going through the procedure, but she could never return home, and she could never see her friends again. Even if she were to attempt to exit now, she was in no state to, and if she tried to escape even when she healed, they probably had a chip on her or something, so they could find her. They would probably kill her without the slightest remorse. But… if she went through with the procedure with Scarlett's deal, she would at least be able to see her friends and family after it was all over. But what was to say she would be able to survive? She was fighting monsters far stronger than her and she would probably be fighting their leaders as well. That was something she did not want to do. She acted like she was tough, but really she was just as aware of how weak she was and she could never tackle a monster. They would probably offer her training, but would that be enough? Did she have enough courage to fight?

Wesley entered the room. Momoko was propped up against the bed, staring at the wall opposite her.

"Have you decided yet?" He questioned carefully. Momoko turned to stare at him. It was only then he saw how intense her eyes were.

"I'll take the deal."

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*These do actually exist, as my mother uses one for her phone. I find it rather funny, and if my phone didn't run on coal, I would use it too.

This was hard to write, because I had no real idea on how to start off, and so much happens in this chapter I wonder whether I wrote enough. Fortunately, this isn't as bad as I keep thinking it is, but I'll leave it to the viewers. Just so you know, Momoko is Ichigo, but her name will be changed for security reasons, much like Keiichiro having his name changed to Wesley for his protection as well as his families. I'll go into detail on that next time.


	3. Chapter 2

A rather short chapter this time, but now we know that things did not go as planned. At least, not on Momoko's side. Thank you for all your support people! Thank for reading and reviewing.

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CHAPTER TWO

The room was sterile white and filled with pieces of machinery one would expect to see in surgical department or a laboratory. Sitting in front of a large, almost old-fashioned, computer was a tall blonde woman with dark, intelligent eyes and an all too famous white lab coat indicating she was a part of this project. Or that she at least worked in the building.

"Miss Caine." Scarlett said, clearing her throat and directing Miss Caine's attention to her. "This is her." She stated, pushing Momoko a bit further forward. Momoko stumbled slightly, one of her legs still bandaged up from the unfortunate incident of having her leg broken; technology had improved, but it still took a very long time for a limb to heal. Miss Caine smiled soothingly and pushed herself away from the computer. As she made her way towards Momoko, she brought out a hand.

"It's a pleasure to meet you. I can't tell you my real name, but my friend's call me Loopy." Momoko resisted the urge to question her on why this was as she shook her hand. "You got a strong grip. That's good. Please sit." Miss Caine, or Loopy, gestured to the pair of seats not too far away from an inspection table.

_It started off simple enough. Just a conversation between doctor and patient: any medication, any illnesses, any allergies? Those sorts of questions. Then she checked my height, weight and blood pressure. Really, it was no different from a normal doctor's appointment._

"Alright, everything seems to be in tip-top condition. Your blood pressure is slightly lower than normal, but it's nothing to worry about." Loopy finished her notes and placed the note book on the table next to her. "Okay, can you please lie on the examination table, we're going to unwrapped the healed injuries now." Momoko nodded slightly before lifting herself up onto the table, swinging her legs onto the table. The artificial lights glowed brightly, temporarily blinding her as Loopy moved the mobile arm so she could see clearer. "Please lift your shirt." Momoko did so, revealing the bandages wrapped across her stomach. She could feel Loopy cutting away at the bandages with a pair of sharp metal scissors. Her stomach felt exposed and cold once the bandages had been removed. "It's healed quite well. Given a few days, all you'll have are a few scars."

Momoko continued to stare up at the ceiling which, until the ceiling of her room, was decorated with large stickers of Disney characters. Momoko had only watched a few of the films when she was small, but the characters were so famous that even someone who had been living in a cave their entire life would know who they were. Momoko did not even notice Loopy inject the needle into her arm until she began to feel dizzy, her thinking slurred, and her vision blurry.

"Wha…" She could not form proper words. She was beginning to lose consciousness.

"This is just to prevent you from feeling any pain." Loopy said as she finally fell asleep. "Because you are going to feel a lot."

_I don't remember what happened next. _

Miss Caine put on her surgical apron and rubber gloves. She strapped Momoko to the table; arms, legs, even her stomach. Slowly, she opened the metal cabinet and took out a needle along with a clear bottle full of a glowing blue liquid. It was definitely no ordinary drug. It had been beloved nicknamed Mew Aqua by the company boss. Miss Caine filled the syringe with the Mew Aqua and carefully made her way to the unconscious Momoko.

"I pray you don't become another victim." Slowly, Miss Caine punctured the skin and filled Momoko's veins with the liquid. Even under so many layers of skin, the glow was strong as Miss Caine could see it filling up all of her veins. At first, everything seemed to be okay. Her body was limp, but she was still breathing soundly. It seemed to be a success.

Then Momoko's body began convulsing. It shook so violently that the table began to bounce off the floor. Tears filled up Momoko's eyes, and her mouth was opened wide, letting out silent screams as her body tried desperately to force the liquid out. She hacked and she spluttered, trying to break free from her restraints. The Mew Aqua rushed straight to her brain, causing Momoko to scream. This time her screams could be heard.

_Even when unconscious, I could feel the hostile liquid fill me up. It was like having lava in my veins. I could do nothing to stop it; I could only beg for it to stop. There is no real way to describe the pain. It was like having a white hot needle stabbed into every pore in my body. _

Miss Caine waited for the convulsions to stop, expecting another failed experiment. Indeed, after a few moments, Momoko stilled, simply whimpering. Then she stopped altogether. It was a shame. That was another life wasted, but there was no sense crying over every mistake. She began to undo the braces.

She opened her eyes. They had changed colour, as to be expected, with her natural dark grey-blue around the rim, but a startling yellow closer to the pupils which had changed to slits. She stared at Miss Caine, wide-eyed and confused. It had been a success.

"Well back to the world of the living." Miss Caine said with a smile. Momoko continued to stare at her, still confused.

"W-who…?" She spluttered, still unable to talk properly.

"My name is Miss Caine, remember?"

"Who am I?" Miss Caine's smile widened; the side effect of the experiment also seemed to be useful.

"You're name is Ichigo Momomiya, and you just survived surgery."

* * *

Yes, so now Momoko doesn't really know who she is. Of course, since she is writing this document in italics, she at least learns who she really is. But for now, she's going to be shaped into the perfect 'mew'. And yay for Mew Aqua and all its nasty aftereffects, which will gradually get worse and worse.


	4. Chapter 3

CHAPTER THREE

Ichigo stayed in the hospital for three weeks. They would have daily check-ups and a psychologist would visit her every Tuesday and Friday to help her recover her memory. She never did. She simply soaked up the information they gave her, and when her parents were allowed to visit, she presumed that they were exactly as the psychologist described them, and when they started talking about her, she presumed that she was exactly how they described her.

Her name was Ichigo Momomiya. She was thirteen and turning fourteen in March. She was a tomboy to the very core and when someone was on her bad list, they stayed there. She read her profile over and over again, and most of it made sense. Just not her name. Just something about it rubbed her the wrong way, and she didn't quite know why.

When her parents left for the day, the doctors came in and told her everything.

"Ichigo Momomiya." A woman with scarlet hair sat in the plush chair next to her and lit a cigarette. That was not allowed, but the other doctors did not seem to protest. "You are not human."

_It's funny really, but at the time I was quite willing to believe her. I didn't feel human. I didn't feel 'normal', and soon I would end up proving it._

"Of course I'm human. What else would I be?" Ichigo questioned. The woman with the scarlet hair tapped the ash into the ash tray.

"A mutant." She answered simply, confusing Ichigo further.

"I'm sorry; I don't understand." The woman sighed, knowing that this would be how Ichigo would react.

"I don't expect you to."

She snapped her fingers and a screen came out of the ceiling. She snapped her fingers again and a channel switched on. On the screen were the silhouettes of five unknown people. The silhouette in the middle was revealed to be Ichigo.

"You did not survive surgery at all. Instead, a serum called 'Mew Aqua' was injected into your bloodstream, improving strength, speed, endurance, healing abilities and the strength of your senses. You took on this experiment willingly despite the risks of said experiment. Fortunately, the only side-effects you have experienced so far is memory loss and a cold chill. While we are uncertain how long the memory loss may last, the cold chill will pass after a few days." The screen switched to her profile. She looked tired and worn out, and she had a plaster on her face from a fight or something along those lines.

"What do I do now?" It was an obvious question. What does one do when they become injected with some unknown substance and basically makes you a mutant?

"Well, for a start, there are four others who have also taken the injection over a period of time, mutating their genes just like you. They are living somewhat normal lives at the moment, but we need them to return immediately." It reverted back to the silhouettes. Each silhouette was revealed to be a girl around the same age as Ichigo. The profile of one in specific was revealed.

"Hime Minamoto. Age 13. She's intelligent and known for her high-class personality. She goes to Seinen Girls' High School and is one of the top students. She takes ballet as well as self-defence classes. She is the first person you need to return to the company."

"Why do you need them back?" Ichigo asked, crossing her arms as she leaned back against the bed railing. The woman stared at her for a moment before sighing. She took out a remote and clicked onto a different channel on the screen. A monster attacked the camera, flinging it across the ground and destroying the film footage. The film footage was reversed and paused so Ichigo could just see the creatures face. It definitely wasn't an animal she had seen before. A profile was brought up of the creature.

"We have no official name for them, so we simply call them Chimera. They were sent here for unknown reasons, although if you have watched enough alien movies I'm sure you can come up with something." The creature was a skinny beast with visible bones and of remarkable height. It had no face to speak of, just two glowing eyes that stared at Ichigo in a haunted fashion. It's head looked almost like a cat but not. Ichigo could see right through it. "That purple thing in the middle is what controls it. It's its brain and its heart. Tear it out or shoot it and the Chimera will die. You and the others were injected with the serum required to do this without dying." Ichigo was too busy staring at the creature. How was she able to fight that? If she had fought in her life before, she couldn't remember it. She'd just be flailing around looking for some way of winning.

"I understand that you have no training unlike your companions who have had several months to train under specialised martial artists." The cigarette was finished. "That's why we've decided that we shall train you on a daily basis rather than a weekly in order for you to catch up with the others. Your parents work with the society in training the soldiers; they will be your masters." The woman with the scarlet hair rose, the screen going back into the ceiling. "Your parents will collect you shortly." Ichigo shot up.

"What if I fail? What if I can't find anyone or I'm killed by one of the Chimera?" There was obvious reason for the fear. Everyone was scared of dying or failing, and no matter how strong you were you were always afraid. The woman with the scarlet hair smiled.

"You won't."

* * *

Her room was rather plain, to say the least. The walls were blue with a few posters from a couple of shonen anime, and there was a laptop on a desk across from her bed. The books were typical school books and a few shonen manga, but nothing particularly special.

"Feel free to relax today, Ichigo. We'll start your training tomorrow." Ichigo nodded to her mother who smiled pleasantly and left. She didn't really look much like either of her parents. Her mother was albino while her father had black hair and black eyes. She really did look nothing like them, but she wouldn't complain about it.

Ichigo slumped onto the bed and stared out the window. It was a clear night and she could see almost all the stars in the sky. That was good. From her three weeks in the hospital, she knew it was rare to see the stars, so she was glad when she finally spotted them.

Something zipped across the sky, making Ichigo freeze slightly. It… it didn't quite look like a shooting star. She rubbed her eyes. She must be tired. Yeah… she was seeing things. Ichigo removed her hoodie and changed into her pyjamas. It would be a busy day tomorrow; best to get some sleep.


	5. Chapter 4

Man it's been a while. Sorry for that rather long hiatus, but I've been through a lot. I think I have an actual plan for this story now. This is rather short, and most likely not that good, but I'll be picking this up again and I'm trying to make it as tear jerking as possible. Thought I'd warn you for the future.

* * *

CHAPTER FOUR

The next day a package came for Ichigo in the mail. Inside the box, carefully folded, was the Seinen Girls' High School uniform. It consisted of a knee-length skirt, a white button-up shirt, a black vest, a black blazer with the insignia on the left pocket and a light blue ribbon. Ichigo knew the moment that she put it on that it did not suit her. She didn't look upper class, and with her ratty hair and rough looks, she doubted she ever would. In a vain attempt to make herself look more decent, she brushed her hair into two pigtails, but it only made her look childish. Still, it was better than having it down and look even worse.

At 6:14am a car drove up by the house and a man in glasses and a suit entered the house. He said his name was Wesley and he was there to collect Ichigo and drive her to her new case. Her 'parents' served them both breakfast before allowing Ichigo to leave the house and enter the car with this man. It wasn't until they were in the car that Wesley let down his guard and started talking to Ichigo in a more casual fashion. The change both confused and relieved Ichigo who had not had a casual conversation with anyone since she woke up.

From the car window Ichigo could see the massive school building loom over her and instantly felt a wave of nerves flood over her. This was a brand new environment to her, and she had only just gotten to a family home and she had not even adapted to that yet. These people would undoubtedly judge her in every way possible without the slightest shred of remorse, making her feel unimportant and weak.

"Don't worry too much Miss Momomiya. You only need to stay long enough to locate Miss Minamoto and pass on the message."

"You make it sound easy." How was she expected to find _one _girl out of all the people in this school? That would be nigh on impossible and could take ages.

"Well she'll be in certain clubs, so you should be able to find her there at least." With that, Ichigo climbed out of the car and made her way towards the gates. This would be a long day.

In a matter of three hours, Ichigo had managed to 'locate' Hime Minamoto, although she would hardly call crashing into her and apologising locating. Once she had found her, she didn't take her eye off her. She needed to wait until Hime was alone before passing on the message. After all, this project was supposed to be top secret.

Hime slipped into the library, and Ichigo followed after her, watching her pick up a book of 'Pride and Prejudice' before sneaking up behind her and passing on the message:

"The company needs you return." Hime paused mid-turn of the page.

"What do you mean by that?"

"I meant exactly what I said." Hime said nothing right away, closing the book and placing it back in its spot.

"What if I want to stay?" Ichigo shrugged.

"I don't know. I only got involved in this yesterday so I have no idea what they'd do to you. They'll probably try and kill you or something." She could hear Hime let out a 'heh'.

"Shame. I really like this life." Ichigo felt bad for her, but she pushed her feelings aside; it wasn't like she knew how to help her or anything, and even if she did the chances were they would both be found and punished.

Ichigo could hear an explosion close by and jumped in surprise. The ground was shaking, as though there were an earthquake occurring, but the inhuman roar told Ichigo otherwise. They both ran in the direction of the noise, finding that some monster or another had crashed into the canteen and killed some of the school girls inside. It had golden eyes which stared angrily at Ichigo and Hime. The creature spat out the corpse, charging at the duo. They jumped out of the way instantly, Hime landing on the banisters of the stairs, and Ichigo at the top of the curtains. This was bad; there were witnesses everywhere.

The monster lunged for an attack at Hime. Hime jumped over the chimera, landing a full blown kick at its head. The chimera crashed to the ground, the tiles cracking all around it as she dived in, tearing out its core. The chimera's body soon disintegrated, leaving nothing but a shape in the tiles in its memory.

"Wow." Was all Ichigo could say. There was no way she could have done that. The witnesses soon rose, but they looked at Ichigo and Hime in horror, as though they were the monsters. It was to be expected; they weren't human after all.

"Well, I guess I'm going to go home after all."

The memories of all the witnesses were erased and Hime left the school, having transferred closer to home to take care of her grandmother. The canteen had been repaired and everyone soon forgot Hime existed. That was safer for all of them, and allowed Hime to focus on her task. Hime was to work together on Ichigo's next case, although this case was far more dangerous than the last.


	6. Chapter 5

Sorry about the long delay, but here's chapter five where we meet Midori, otherwise known as Lettuce or Bridget. Also an implication of one of the aliens...

**CHAPTER FIVE**

She had doe-eyed, thick pink glasses, and upturned eyebrows that gave her a permanently frightened or worried look.

"Midori Mochizuki. Age 14. Incredibly intelligent, having gained the third highest score out of all of Tokyo in her exams, she's also known for her shyness around people her age. She goes to Yoshida Middle School and is a member of the drama club and the book group. Tomorrow evening she is taking part in Romeo and Juliet as Juliet which will be playing at 7pm in the Kinjo Hall. The two of you have already been signed up to help with the stage crew in its final stages. Use this opportunity to convince her to re-join the company; the chances are it will be the only chance you will get." The screen switched off and slowly morphed back into the wall. "If there are any questions, ask them now."

Hime raised her hand. Scarlet gestured for her to speak.

"Do we have to work?" What kind of question was that? Of course she had to work; how else would she get the job done?

"So long as you are able to convince Miss Mochizuki to join you, it doesn't matter whether you actually work in the stage crew or not. If that's all, then this meeting is dismissed."

Ichigo heaved the plaster statue up with both arms. The truth was that it wasn't heavy in the slightest, but she was quite aware of the fact that it would be considered strange, if not entirely abnormal, if she decided to just casually pick it up with one hand. She placed it in its spot on the stage, taking a moment to enjoy the view of the small theatre.

Hime was, of course, sitting back and enjoying the view the entire time, even taking a moment to make herself a cup of tea. Midori was nowhere in sight, although the chances were that she was talking things over with some of the other actors. After all, she was one to make sure things were perfect, especially considering how big a performance this was intended to be.

Midori finally entered the room, all dolled and ready to perform in a few hours time. She really was more beautiful than she let on, with long wavy hair and a beautiful figure. It almost made Ichigo jealous, but then again she really wasn't the sort of girl that would suit such looks… One of the men threw a meat bun at Ichigo's head.

"Oi! Come take a break with us, will ya?" He didn't sound demanding. Ichigo grinned in her typical boy-like fashion before making her way to the group.

"Hey, you're Midori, aren't you?" Hime said as Midori passed her. Midori paused, somewhat offended by the lack of honorifics although she didn't let it show.

"I am." She said. Her voice was dainty, ghostly even, as she spoke. It suited her pale appearance.

"My name is Hime, and my companion over there is called Ichigo. The company needs you to return immediately." Midori froze at the word 'company', visibly disturbed for a few seconds. She, unlike the others, was fully aware of her previous life and of what was taken from her. Midori turned her face slightly, watching Ichigo playfully argue with the others.

"Your friend is really quite a loud person…" She was thinking of a way to escape the situation. If she knew Ichigo and Hime's weak points, she would be able to think something up, but she was yet to know and that worried her.

"She's not my friend. I only met her a few days ago." Midori wasn't surprised. They did not seem like they would get along.

"I will go, but only after this play is over. Then you can do what you please." Hime smirked.

"Good."

Stage lights on, let the play begin. The narrator walked onto the stage in a calm, collected fashion and eyed the audience carefully.

"Two households, both alike in dignity,

In fair Verona, where we lay our scene,

From ancient grudge break to new mutiny,

Where civil blood makes civil hands unclean,

From forth the fatal loins of these two foes,

A pair of star-cross'd lovers take their lives;

Whose misadventured piteous overthrows

Do with their death bury their parents' strife.

The fearful passage of their death-mark'd love,

And the continuance of their parents' rage,

Which, but their children's end, nought could remove,

Is now the two hours' traffic of our stage;

The which if you with patient ears attend,

What here shall miss, our toil shall strive to mend."

The narrator walked off the stage as the curtains drew back and the play began. Ichigo watched quite curiously as the actors played their roles, some better than others, speaking in Old English. She was certain that at one point in her life she had taken part in a Romeo and Juliet play (she faintly remembered playing Romeo) and being incredibly poor in the old-fashioned way of talking.

"So they're playing Romeo and Juliet? Che, they got a typical Prince Charming as Romeo." He flicked over to the next page, seeing a familiar face. He couldn't help but smirk. "But they did find quite a looker for good ol' Juliet. I say we pay a visit." He tossed the information leaflet aside. The wind quickly caught it as it flew to some unknown place within the city.

"Oh happy dagger!" Midori picked up the bloody dagger with a miserable look on her face. She was a pretty good actor. She raised it to her chest, looking up with tears in her eyes. "This is thy sheath;" Midori was about to say her final words, but she stopped suddenly. Ichigo heard something strange.

"What's wrong, Midori? Come on." Something was wrong. Ichigo could feel something was wrong. Her senses were going berserk, and she didn't know why. And then it hit her, but it was too late.

The ceiling above Midori collapsed suddenly, crushing her entirely. The reaction was instantaneous as people let out screams of horror as a chimera emerged from the debris. The chimera scanned the environment with wicked eyes as Ichigo took a moment to react. She couldn't reveal her abilities in front of so many people. They may have been able to succeed last time, but there were less viewers then. She needed to frighten it. She picked up the fake sword, waving it dangerously.

"Hey, bird bastard, get the hell out of here!" The chimera directed its attention to her as she ran up to it with the fake sword, threatening it with the full intentions of killing it if it got too close. She just needed to get it to a more secluded area. Somewhere where there were less people. The audience were trying to shove their way through the door, terrified for their lives. The chimera, unnerved by the sharp object Ichigo was waving (despite it being useless in an actual fight) retreated, looking for targets elsewhere. Ichigo sighed in relief as it escaped, tossing the sword aside.

Midori pulled her way out of the rubble. Her lower half was a meaty mess and her once white dress was bright red. She had a hungry, desperate look on her face. The remaining cast looked terrified as she continued to drag herself out, her body slowly healing.

"Y-you monster!" One cast member shouted in horror as Midori's legs grew back. Midori stopped moving, staring in horror. Hime stared boredly at the remaining viewers as members of the company burst in. Of course, they were waiting for a situation like this the entire time.

**Report**

**Midori Mochizuki (14) was recovered from Kinjo Hall at 8.50pm, February 12th. The chimera which had caused the roof to cave in was found in a quiet alleyway three hours later and eliminated. There were three killed and nine injured. The memories of all those involved were wiped within three days. Midori Mochizuki was also erased from the memories of others. She was not transferred to another family or another school, kept under close inspection within the company until her mental recovery. **


	7. Chapter 6

I'm going to be heading to France next week, so I won't be able to update next week, so I decided I would attempt to introduce Quiche (named Dren here since the name was good enough for me and I'm trying to avoid naming people after food).

* * *

**CHAPTER SIX**

"My name is Ichigo Momomiya, it's nice to meet you all." Ichigo stood at the front of the class leaning on one foot with her arms crossed. She avoided eye contact and kept a bored look on her face, showing how she was not there to make friends.

**After the incident regarding Midori Mochizuki, the search for the other members was put on temporary hold whilst she was given time to recover. With that in mind, I was introduced to my new school for the first time ever. It is safe to say that all did not go according to plan.**

The students stared at her with curious eyes, some hostile and some excited, as Ichigo made her way to her seat near the window, and crossed her legs. She was only here to blend in while the fourth 'Mew' was located. According to the information given, she was eleven years old and half-Chinese and working as a performer.

**I was given the order to stand down until I was given new orders to collect the fourth team member, Mei-Ling Fong (her original name still unknown to anyone but herself). Midori was given a therapist and slowly recovering from the shock of being killed. According to the company workers, she had no idea her genes had been mutated in the slightest; all memories of the incident being wiped until the time was right.**

Ichigo could feel a certain pair of eyes on her and glanced back to see a dark-haired boy watching her with a large, beaming smile on his face. Ichigo visibly cringed and turned her attention back to the board; she had a feeling that said boy would be running up to her and asking her all sorts of questions the moment the lunch bell rang.

Just as she had predicted, the boy almost literally pounced onto Ichigo just as she was about to leave her seat, startling her despite the fact that she knew it was about to happen.

"Hey, I'm Isamu Kawano! It's nice to meet you! Where did you move from?" He burst out in an excitable tone, somewhat unnerving Ichigo.

"I moved from Shibuya." She lied, stepping away from the strange boy.

"Really? Is it really as they say it is?" He questioned, stepping further forward. Ichigo felt trapped, as though a deer caught in a cars headlight.

"I suppose…" A teacher passed boy, watching the duo curiously. Ichigo took this as her chance as ran at the teacher who seemed rather frightened by her sudden charge. "Hello, can you help me with something. I don't know where my next class is. Apparently there's a separate building for these classes." She brought out her timetable to show to the teacher as she managed to escape Isamu.

"It's okay, he's not following us." Glancing back, Ichigo saw that Isamu had not left his spot. She let out a sigh of relief. The teacher chuckled in a gruff but caring fashion; it suited his appearance as he was built like a heavy-weight wrestler, but the well-groomed moustache and the well-combed hair suggested a much more gentlemanly individual. "He's a real curious kid; only joined us three months ago. Doesn't have many friends."

"He seems like the sort of kid that would have a lot of friends." The teacher shook his head.

"Most of the time he's a lot more quiet; he's drawn to new students, especially the ones that look like they have a backstory."

"Heh. Cute." Ichigo replied, although she did feel a slight sense of guilt now knowing that Isamu did not have many people to talk to; he was probably just trying to make friends. "Now I'm going on a guilt trip."

"He'll probably try and ask you more questions tomorrow, but at least you're prepared." As they turned the corner, the teacher opened the door to the teacher's lounge. "Oh, and you don't have to worry about going to another building for English; it's in the room opposite here." Ichigo glanced back and saw that room 109 was indeed right behind her.

"Thank…" The teacher had already shut the door. "…you."

**As well as meeting the individual Isamu Kawano, I also met a teacher who went under the name Muchimoya-sensei, as well as one of the alien threats.**

Walking through the park, Ichigo caught sight of a young street performer doing a number of cartwheels and backflips for a group of people who happened to be watching. The girl appeared to be younger than Ichigo, judging from her height and general appearance, and had a bright, beaming smile on her face as she collected money from the viewers. Ichigo looked away before the girl could notice that she was watching, but she was not so fortunate.

"Hey you!" Ichigo began walking away, picking up the pace when she heard footsteps coming towards her. A small hand grabbed Ichigo's arm. "People who watch have to pay." Despite speaking Japanese, Ichigo could hear the Chinese accent quite clearly. She glanced at the girl who had amber eyes and rich gold hair.

"I wasn't watching." Ichigo stated, trying to get the girl to release her grip.

"Don't lie to me! I saw you!"

"No you didn't." Ichigo managed to free herself and instantly sprinted as fast as she could. The girl was chasing after her in an instant.

"Come back here!"

A few blocks away from home, the girl was still chasing after Ichigo.

'How can someone be so persistent?' Ichigo thought, pausing for a moment to catch her breath. Unfortunately, the girl had picked up her pace during the moment, capturing Ichigo in an iron grip.

"I have you now!"

"Let me go!" Ichigo struggled, trying to get away, but even when she used her mew abilities, she found it impossible. "Just who the hell are you!?" No normal human could have such a strong grip, and it was upsetting Ichigo more than it should have.

"_I came by to see what the humans looked like, but it turns out they're cuter than I thought._" At the new voice, both girls stopped struggling and looked around. "_Up here, sunshine._" Hot lips pressed against Ichigo's. She was too startled to react as the kisser let go, stepping away from her and licking his lips. _"Thanks for the kiss; it was a good one._" Her face went bright red as she realized what had just happened. She began rubbing at her lips with the sleeve of her uniform in disgust, glaring up at the boy: incredibly pale with dark green hair and black eyes. The long, pointed ears were the only feature that defined him from humans. He was floating at least five metres above the duo.

"Who the hell are you!?" Ichigo snarled, very willing to murder the boy before her.

"The name's Dren, kitty cat, and I'm sure we're going to be meeting again." He floated further away and, with a wink, disappeared. Which left a startled Ichigo with the strange performing girl who had witnessed the whole incident.


	8. Chapter 7

Sorry for that long delay everyone, I just got back from France last week and have been readjusting to school and all. Hopefully, even though it's short, this chapter will be pretty decent for such a long break.

* * *

CHAPTER SEVEN

The street performer stared at Ichigo in horror, amber eyes as wide as dinner plates as she began to walk backwards.

"Y-you're a…" She didn't finish her sentence, turning and running as fast as she could. Ichigo blinked and missed her; no human could run that fast.

When she had finally realized what this meant, Ichigo bolted. She had to catch this girl. She leapt onto a nearby roof, tracing the girl's scent throughout the streets. She was incredibly fast; far faster than Ichigo.

The girl caught a glimpse of Ichigo and sped up.

'Just how fast can this brat run!?' The girl was making her way towards Tokyo Tower. Not good; a lot of people would be there.

By the time Ichigo reached the base of Tokyo Tower, the girl was already standing near the top. Rain clouds were rolling in and people were leaving. Thunder and lightning was in the forecast, making Tokyo Tower and extremely dangerous place to be. Ichigo leapt up the tower, swiftly making her way towards to girl.

The girl jumped onto the railing, balancing carefully and clearly under the risk of falling over the edge at the slightest knock.

"Don't come any closer or I'll jump." She announced loudly, her tone serious.

"Let's just talk this over-." The girl removed one leg, letting it hang in the air, as Ichigo stepped forward. "Okay, I won't move any closer. We just need to-."

"I don't need to _do _anything. Last time I listened to someone, I was turned into a freak!" She snarled.

"Okay, I understand you're not happy with the way things are just now, but you can be fixed. We're only like this for a short while. We're only being taken in for a short while; after we've done what we're told they've promised to fix us." She was making it up, and the street performer knew it right away.

"You're lying! I can tell you're lying!"

She made for another jump, but lost her footing due to the slippery surface. She barely had time to register the fact that she was about to fall to her death as her body fell backwards. Ichigo charged forwards, reaching out to grab the girl's hand, barely succeeding.

The girl dangled over the edge of the tower, and Ichigo was in the process of slipping over the edge. She needed to think of a way of getting the girl to safety. It was risky, and could probably kill her, but she had little choice regarding the situation. She grabbed the girl with her other hand, the one used to keep herself in place, and, with great force, flung the girl over the railing to safety.

Throwing herself off the tower in the process. The girl watched in horror as Ichigo fell closer and closer towards the ground.

CRUNCH.

* * *

The room was silent. The beeping of the heart monitor was the only sound that could be heard, and that was attached to an unconscious man with blonde hair on the other bed. Lying on the other bed with her hair spread out across the pillow was an unconscious Ichigo.

Sitting in the chair was a girl, probably only ten, with messy blonde hair; a thin blanket wrapped around her shoulders. She had taken Ichigo to the company personally; she was only half-healed when she was taken in.

With strained effort, Ichigo opened her dark eyes. The red rim around her iris was the only indication of her abnormality now. The girl had it to. It was yellow and far less visible than Ichigo's. When she had first used her skills in school, everyone was impressed. But they soon lost interest, so she did something more extreme. Something that resulted in her having to run away.

Ichigo opened her mouth to speak to the girl, but all that came out was a hazardous cough; her torn throat was most likely still healing. It was still hard to believe she was a meaty mess on the ground only an hour ago. The girl was the same in that fact as well, and that scared her.

"I'll go." Ichigo couldn't see the girl's face. That was until she lifted it to look at her. "I'll go with you. I'll join the group."

She was crying.

* * *

Alright, that is the end of the chapter. The next one will involve some training and a bit more exploration of the company and it's general training/living facilities.


	9. Chapter 8

Sorry for that unnecessary delay, I've been trying to figure out what to do with this story the past week. I figured I would group the characters together more often and pretty much force them to bond whether they liked it or not, so this happened. The next few chapters are going to involve them adapting to this change as well as a few others with the added threat of more chimera jumping around. Also, more Dren in the next few chapters. I'm going to love writing about that lil' maniac.

**CHAPTER EIGHT**

"Give us a name."

"No." She replied stubbornly, crossing her arms and glaring at the ceiling. She had been made to recite the incident at least three times backwards and four times forwards, and she was at the point of wanting to murder the interrogator who looked just as worn out as her, most likely wanting to get back to his family as soon as possible.

"We're finished here." The interrogator said with a heavy sigh, turning off the mic.

"About bloody time." Ichigo grumbled, pushing herself out of the cold metal chair. She was in her pyjamas, having been changed into them while she was recovering at the hospital. Her hair was a mess, her eyes had bags under them, and all she wanted to do was crawl into a bed and sleep.

As she entered the large reception area, Ichigo noticed that it was still raining and was hesitant to exit through the automatic doors. She had always hated rain and the thought of running out in it with no shoes on and in her pyjamas only made her frown.

"Miss Momomiya, do you have a moment?" Ichigo glanced at the well-trimmed receptionist and then at the automatic doors.

"I have time."

The beds were built into the walls and could fold into the gaps in said walls. The walls were bare and made of steel and the entire area was lit up by pale blue lights. Beyond the sleeping area Ichigo could see that there was a kitchen which had a coffee machine, a microwave and a fridge. The door to her left led to a large open space with a sofa and a large television. The far wall was made entirely of windows which showed a marvellous view of Tokyo city. But Ichigo felt no joy, only confusion.

"I hope you'll find our living facilities satisfactory." The albino man said, voice monotone. Mei-Ling and Hime were already sitting on their beds with their bags packed. Mei-Ling only had a beat-up rucksack while Hime had taken her entire house with her. Midori sat silently in her wheelchair in the living room staring out the window. Ichigo wasn't certain whether she had pushed herself there or if someone had done it for her.

"What's with the sudden change of location?"

"It is only a temporary move while your houses are secured." Ichigo had a feeling she knew what they were being secured against. The enemy had shown its face and extra security would be necessary while the threat was analysed. After all, her 'parents' were ordinary humans. "Enjoy your stay." The man turned and left, shutting the steel-plated door behind him.

Ichigo climbed onto the top bunk and lay on the plain grey sheets. Had she known she would be moving out, she would have brought as much as she could with her. She didn't even have a clean set of clothes with her, and she doubted Hime would share. From her few interactions with the girl, she had a feeling that Hime did not like her in the slightest for interrupting her everyday life.

Not wanting to sit in bed any longer, Ichigo pushed herself upwards and wandered into the kitchen.

"Anyone want coffee?" She called out to the others.

"I only drink tea." Hime responded coolly, opening up a book to read.

"I'll have one!" Mei-Ling shouted, waving her hand above her head.

"Oh please don't; she's got enough energy in her as it is and I don't want to scrape her off the ceiling." Hime responded irritably, getting a weary sigh from Ichigo.

"I'll only put one sugar in it."

"Bleh! It's really bitter!" Mei-Ling complained, sticking out her tongue. Naturally, she would dislike bitter foods because of how young she was. Ichigo could imagine the same reaction to oranges or sour food.

"Sorry, I guess you just get used to it after a while." Ichigo responded with a lopsided smile. She did not like coffee either, but simply drank it because people complained and said it was bad for her health. Mei-Ling puffed out her cheeks, but drank some more, her face distorting. "Midori, would you like some?" Midori shook her head slightly, eyes outside. Ichigo learnt that Midori often switched between being in a catatonic state and a non-catatonic state and it was difficult to tell when she switched.

The coffee cups in the sink, all changed for bed, they climbed into their designated beds and slowly let sleep take over them. Ichigo hoped she would get some of her stuff the next day and have something to do, but she wouldn't get her hopes too high; she could save that for later.

"Lights off." Hime clapped her hands twice, switching the lights off.


End file.
